Englandandwales – Jac o' the North

Gilestone: It’s All About Water

Jac — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:30:55 +0000

Over three years ago, with ‘Gilestone: Thinking Outside The Box‘, I suggested that the ‘Welsh Government’s controversial £4.25m purchase of Gilestone farm is about the transfer of water. Much of what follows may look, superficially, like a rehash of that earlier piece; if so, it’s because that’s unavoidable in bringing the story up to date. But …

Continue reading Gilestone: It’s All About Water

The Alliance Against Livestock Farming

Jac — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:00:51 +0000

This week’s piece about wildlife trusts and environmental groups complements what I put out last week about the assorted river charities. For both seem to be funded to shield Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) and others from criticism by blaming livestock farmers for all river pollution. Also, to pursue the so-called ‘Welsh Government’s Net Zero lunacy …

Continue reading The Alliance Against Livestock Farming

Miscellany 27.07.2022

Jac — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:00:20 +0000

This week’s offering kicks off with assorted musings from here and there before returning home to focus on issues that have caught my eye. And if these have a theme then it’s assorted companies and individuals pretending to be what they’re not. In this case, Welsh. This is another biggie, just over 4,000 words, but …

Continue reading Miscellany 27.07.2022

Bristol Fashion, Local Benefits, Magic Wallpaper, Island In The Sun, Maasai Resistance, Gilestone Update

Jac — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:00:19 +0000

This week I bring yet more tales of colonialism dressed up as ‘saving the planet’; involving assorted enviroshysters, multifarious con men; all aided, abetted, and funded, by those collaborating buffoons down Corruption Bay. This is another biggie, but broken down into easily-digestible chunks. (Add condiments and flavourings to taste.) ♦ BRISTOL FASHION Let’s begin with …

Continue reading Bristol Fashion, Local Benefits, Magic Wallpaper, Island In The Sun, Maasai Resistance, Gilestone Update

‘Saving Wales From The Welsh’

Jac — Mon, 30 May 2022 08:00:41 +0000

“LISTEN TO US” Lurking behind the barns in the Gilestone saga I published last week were environmental / wildlife groups. Now I think they need some sunlight. What prompted my decision was a tweet I saw just over a week ago. The idea that a wildlife trust should be directing the ‘Welsh Government’s farm funding …

Continue reading ‘Saving Wales From The Welsh’

Anti-Social Housing and Other Rackets

Jac — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:00:36 +0000

INTRODUCTION Everyone I think accepts that in Wales we have a dysfunctional housing or property sector; one not fit for purpose, and one that certainly doesn’t serve the needs of the Welsh people. But I’m not simply talking about holiday homes and English migrants squeezing us out of the private housing market, though that is …

Continue reading Anti-Social Housing and Other Rackets

Weep for Wales 19

Jac — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 09:00:04 +0000

My intention was to start winding down this blog, spend more time with my wife, grand-children, books, Malbec . . . but things keep cropping up. That said, it’s very unlikely I shall undertake major new investigations. Diolch yn fawr. ♦ I had planned to put this article out some six months ago, but other …

Continue reading Weep for Wales 19

Elections, May 2021

Jac — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:00:18 +0000

PLEASE APPRECIATE THAT I GET SENT MORE INFORMATION AND LEADS THAN I CAN USE. I TRY TO RESPOND TO EVERYONE WHO CONTACTS ME BUT I CANNOT POSSIBLY USE EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION I’M SENT. DIOLCH YN FAWR ♦ The next elections for the Welsh Parliament are just over six months away; so this week I’m …

Continue reading Elections, May 2021

‘Residential units’ – how many is too many?

Jac — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:00:34 +0000

PLEASE APPRECIATE THAT I GET SENT MORE INFORMATION AND LEADS THAN I CAN USE. I TRY TO RESPOND TO EVERYONE WHO CONTACTS ME BUT I CANNOT POSSIBLY USE EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION I’M SENT. DIOLCH YN FAWR ♦ After my tribulations last week, with computer and internet service, I’m delighted to report that everything is …

Continue reading ‘Residential units’ – how many is too many?

Miscellany 21.09.2020

Jac — Sun, 20 Sep 2020 18:40:52 +0000

PLEASE APPRECIATE THAT I GET SENT MORE INFORMATION AND LEADS THAN I CAN USE. I TRY TO RESPOND TO EVERYONE WHO CONTACTS ME BUT I CANNOT POSSIBLY USE EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION I’M SENT. DIOLCH YN FAWR ♦ Here’s the round-up that’s been postponed for the past few weeks. It covers quite a bit of …

Continue reading Miscellany 21.09.2020